Q. Water feature has chlorine residue buildup causing a white stain on natural rock waterfall. How can I remove the chlorine residue from the rock? A. What you are seeing is likely mineral deposits. Chlorinated water doesn’t cause the deposits,... Read More

Q. I have a 2nd floor shower with moisture resistant sheetrock. I want to put 18" travertine tile on the walls above the pan. Using modified mortar, can these tiles be put on the wall with mortar blobs leaving an air space behind tile or do the tiles... Read More

All minerals have a certain hardness. The hardness of a mineral is determined by performing a scratch test. A scratch test is based on the Moh’s scale of hardness. A German scientist invented this scale by taking several known, pure minerals... Read More

The color in all stone is derived from minerals and organic matter. For example red marbles are red due to the presences of iron. Green marble gets its color from a mineral called serpentine and so forth. There are several excellent books on rock and... Read More

Q. Will the cold cause my stone to crack, or is there some way to treat it to prevent this? A. Being natural, no two stones are going to have the exact same characteristics. That being said, freezing temperatures alone do not affect stone. What... Read More

Q. Hi - i need help identifying the type of stone on my countertop and the best materials to maintain/ care. A. Without an image or description of your countertop, we cannot determine what type of stone you have. Nevertheless, we will do our best to... Read More

Q. I was reading your Stain Management Application about cleaning vinegar stains, and in the types of stains on the left, vinegar is not listed. I was hoping you could clarify what poultice and method to use. Vinegar diluted with water was... Read More

Q. I am confused about if and when to seal / reseal my granite countertop. Do I need to have an expert do the sealing and if not what product should I use? How often should granite be resealed?A. First off, understand that contrary to what you may... Read More

Graffiti Removal Procedure for Stone, Masonry, and Tile Surfaces By Frederick M. Hueston, www.stoneforensics.com If your beautiful building, wall, or other surface has just become the unintended canvas for graffiti, your first reaction might be to... Read More

Q. We recently decided to use our small patio set, and we took it out of storage, and there is a broken bird a egg on the stone top. Obviously, this must have happened in spring. The contents of the egg is as hard as a rock. Is there a safe solution... Read More